


grey skies (are gonna clear up)

by Mallowleaf



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-15 23:52:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18509650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mallowleaf/pseuds/Mallowleaf
Summary: The storms were always the worst. Whenever Roman was upset or downtrodden or feeling some other negative emotion, the Imagination would react by whipping up a proper storm. The severity of the storm, of course, depended on whatever brand of misery Roman was feeling that particular day. Angry? Thunder would boom so loudly that Roman feared it would shake the Mindscape. Afraid of being looked down upon? The wind would whip around his room so violently that his papers would be sent flying to the floor.(or: Roman is upset and fights a storm, and Patton helps)





	grey skies (are gonna clear up)

The Imagination was a fickle thing. 

  
It was, in essence, a part of Roman. Without Roman there would be no Imagination, no place for creativity to thrive and take on different forms of thought. Take away Roman, and you would be left with an empty land with no color or life or  _ anything.  _

 

And Roman loved it. The Imagination was his escape, a place where he could ignore his problems and dive into the world of dragons and knights and damsels in distress. He would spend hours at a time in the Imagination creating stories and characters until he would forget that he was creating things that weren’t real. 

 

But being so closely connected to the Imagination had its drawbacks. 

 

Because for all Roman directed it with his thoughts and desires, it often would latch onto his more subconscious thoughts, shaping the world he was in without his specific influence. 

 

His mood seemed to be something the Imagination seemed particularly fixed on. No matter how hard Roman tried to hide behind his boisterous, over the top facade, the damn Imagination would somehow sense his true mood and react accordingly. Thank  _ God  _ none of the other sides had ever seen one of these abrupt changes; he didn’t think he could ever face them if they did. 

 

The storms were always the worst. Whenever Roman was upset or downtrodden or feeling some other negative emotion, the Imagination would react by whipping up a proper storm. The severity of the storm, of course, depended on whatever brand of misery Roman was feeling that particular day. Angry? Thunder would boom so loudly that Roman feared it would shake the Mindscape. Afraid of being looked down upon? The wind would whip around his room so violently that his papers would be sent flying to the floor. 

 

It was hard to hide from these storms, but Roman had gotten pretty adept at it. He would blast music or take refuge in the Mindscape, studiously ignoring the storm raging in the pit of his stomach and pushing out against his chest. 

 

But sometimes it was too much to ignore. An upbeat song couldn’t drown out the sound of thunder crashing outside. Hanging around the Mindscape with the other sides wasn’t enough to distract Roman from the wind dancing around his ankles. 

 

Those were the bad days. 

 

It just so happened that today was one of those bad days. Roman and Logan had just fought - about what, Roman couldn’t even remember exactly, which made him feel even worse. It was most likely to do with video ideas; it seemed like all they fought these days were video ideas. Roman’s temper had flared and they ended up shouting things at each other that they didn’t really mean.    
  


Well. Roman hoped so, anyway. 

 

Because Roman  _ didn’t  _ mean anything he had yelled at Logan. The words had come from a moment of anger and as soon as Roman said them he wished he could take them back. But Logan… 

 

Logan was a smart, calculated man. Yes, he could be provoked (as Roman knew all too well) but even in those outbursts of infuriated passion, every word Logan said had meaning. Logan thought over everything at least three times before even  _ thinking  _ about saying them. Logan was nothing like Roman, who acted first and dealt with the consequences later. 

 

Alone in his room, Roman was terrified that Logan had meant every word he’d said. 

 

Outside the large bay window that looked out onto the Imagination, a storm raged on. It was one of the worst Roman had seen in a while - all of his anger and fear and regrets rolled up into one. It was strong enough to rattle the window panes, threatening to shatter the glass. 

 

Roman was sitting at his desk, cradling his head in his hands and trying to focus on the paper in front of him. Each crack of thunder caused him to flinch and try as he might, Roman couldn’t force his racing mind to calm. He turned to glare at the storm outside. As if sensing his displeasure with it, the storm let out a particularly loud crash. 

 

“Unbelievable.” He muttered to himself, trying to ignore the thickness in his voice. He pushed himself away from the desk with perhaps more force than necessary and stalked over to the doors that lead out to the Imagination. 

 

He pushed them open and as soon as he stepped outside the rain slammed into him like a brick wall. It was cold and fierce, biting into him and soaking him almost immediately. He walked further into the storm, leaving his room behind him. The wind was howling and his hair was sticking to his forehand and Roman  _ really  _ wasn’t feeling this right now.

 

“Are you kidding me?” He yelled, throwing his head back to look up at the storm. Dark clouds swirled up in the sky above him. 

 

“Can you stop for just one second?” Roman continued, pushing his hair out of his face in one angry motion. 

 

The storm continued around him, pouring rain and thundering overhead. Roman brought up his hand to wipe his face and found that he was crying. The tears running down his face were lost in the mess of the storm, and for that moment he was grateful that there was no one around to watch.

 

“This isn’t going to get you anywhere! Nobody cares, so just  _ shut up _ !”

 

There’s a flash and then all of a sudden a bolt of lighting came hurtling out of the sky, striking the ground right next to where Roman was standing. The electricity made Roman’s hair stand on end, sending chills running up and down his spine. If he was just standing two inches to the right, he would’ve been hit by that bolt. 

 

Letting out a growl, Roman ripped his sword out from the scabbard resting against his hip and brandished it up at the sky above him. Realistically speaking, he knows he can’t do any damage to the storm with his sword. It isn’t a physical entity that he can just go through, it’s weather - it’s a raging force of wind and anger all rolled up into one. He can’t beat it by brute strength alone; he has to wait it out, buckle down and wait for the worst of it to blow over.    
  
But Roman’s never been the poster child for patience. 

 

Instead he takes his sword and throws it straight up into the air, right at the heart of the storm. Anger and adrenaline pulse through him, filling his veins with fire. He hates this storm, he hates the rain hitting him, he hates the sound of the wind howling around him, he hates, he hates, he hates - 

 

The wind picks it up and blows it away, throws it down to the ground like the flimsy piece of metal it is. 

 

And just as soon as his anger came, it’s gone. He’s left with an empty spot in his chest where the anger had burned so brightly before. Because there’s no point in fighting this anymore. He can’t win against something he can’t fight, against something he’s created himself so many times before and will undoubtedly create again. 

 

He can’t win, so why try?

 

“Roman?”

 

The voice was quiet, almost cautious and completely unexpected. Roman flinched, caught off guard, before spinning around to see the source of the voice. Standing behind him and peeking out from under an umbrella was Patton. 

 

“Oh, hello!” Roman said, plastering a smile to his face. He did his best to appear normal, like he wasn’t standing in a storm and screaming like a lunatic, but Patton knew Roman too well to be fooled by a hastily constructed mask. 

 

“Is everything okay?” Patton asked, voice soft and quiet. His voice lacks the usual bounce that Roman is so used to hearing and instead is replaced by something warmer, something that wraps around Roman like a blanket. Roman’s shoulders slumped forward. He didn’t want to lie to Patton anymore, and at this point Roman was certain that Patton could see through any lie Roman tried to give at this point. 

 

Roman stayed silent, staring down at his feet. He avoided Patton’s gaze, not wanting to see what could only be disappointment on Patton’s face. He closed his eyes when he heard the grass rustling beside him, signalling that Patton was moving near him. And then - the rain stopped falling on him. 

 

He looked up, hair dripping into his eyes. The umbrella that Patton had been holding was now over his head, protecting him from the rain. The low hum of the rain bouncing off the umbrella hung around the pair, a barrier between them and weather raging around them. 

 

“Come on,” Patton said gently, slipping his hand into Roman’s. He started back to the doorway that led to Roman’s room, taking the lead and all the while making sure Roman was completely covered by the umbrella. Patton leaned in close to Roman, but the creative side made sure there was enough space between the two so he wouldn’t accidentally get Patton’s clothes wet. He was already the reason Patton felt the need to walk out in the middle of the storm to see him, and he didn’t want to be the reason Patton’s clothes were wet. 

 

When they got back into Roman’s room Patton closed the umbrella and gingerly placed it down, making sure not to drip onto anything near it. He rummaged around a bit before pulling out a towel and presenting it to Roman. Patton’s glasses were fogged over and his hair, wet from the rain, was curling on his forehead. “Dry yourself off and then come down to the kitchen, okay Ro?” Patton said with a soft smile. Roman nodded wordlessly and took the towel from Patton, who gave Roman a small kiss on the cheek before leaving the room. 

 

Roman stood there for a moment, staring at the towel in his hands. It was soft and fluffy, and he tightened his grip on it, digging his fingers into the threads. Then he carefully dragged the towel across his hair, trying to dry it. He only succeed in making it less sopping wet and more damp. Strands of hair stuck to his forehead as he peeled off his wet uniform and slipped into sweatpants and a sweatshirt. He pulled the sweatshirt sleeves over his palms, fiddling with the loose threads that hung from the sleeves. 

 

Outside Roman’s window, the thunder had finally subsided and was replaced by the sound of rain pounding against the glass. Running his hands through his hair, Roman let out a sigh before getting up and walking out of his room. 

 

The rest of the mindscape was quiet. It was late; Logan and Virgil were most likely in their rooms, either by themselves or even with each other - Roman had noticed that the anxious and logical side’s relationship had grown closer over the past few weeks, spending much more time with each other than before. Tucking his hands into his pockets, Roman walked down the hall and into the main commons. 

 

Most of the lights were turned off, the dim lighting casting shadows over the whole room. The lights in the kitchen were on, and Patton’s shadow danced across the floor. His back was to the living room, too focused on whatever he was doing to hear Roman’s footsteps walk across the carpet to the kitchen. Roman slipped across the tiles and into a seat at the kitchen table, crossed his legs and waited. 

 

It didn’t take long for Patton to turn around; when he did, his eyes lighted onto Roman and he grinned. There was flour splashed across Patton’s face like freckles, dusting his nose and cheekbones. He had tied an apron around his waist, which was also coated with flour. Looking behind him, Roman could see trays of dough already sitting on the counter. Patton had gotten quite a bit done in the short time he had waited for Roman. 

 

“There you are!” He said cheerfully. Patton turned and grabbed a mug, bright red and dotted with tiny golden crowns. He placed it down in front of Roman and pushed it towards him. Roman grabbed it, wrapping his hands around the base and pulled it closer. The cup was warm, with steam curling up and out over the sides. Roman took a sip of it - hot chocolate. 

 

“Thanks, Pat.” Roman said, a smile tugging up the corners of his lips. Patton beamed at him, obviously happy that he was drinking, before turning back and dealing with the trays balanced on the counter. 

 

Roman waited in silence as he watched Patton ramble around the kitchen, sliding trays into the oven and humming to himself. He slowly drained the cup, soaking in the warmth that it gave him. The warmth was giving him back the feeling in his fingers, sending waves of uncomfortable pins and needles through them. He winced and stretched them out, trying to get rid of the feeling. 

 

Patton plopped back down across from Roman, holding a mug of his own. The bright smile he’d been wearing a few seconds ago had melted into something softer, gentler. “So,” he said, his voice the only sound in the kitchen. “Is there any particular reason you were out in the middle of a storm?” 

 

“I just wanted to take a walk.” Roman said lightly. “A little rain never hurt anyone, you know.” 

 

Patton’s gaze didn’t waver. “That was more than a little rain, kiddo.” 

 

Roman dropped his gaze, unable to hold Patton’s gaze. It was too strong, held too much understanding. Instead he stared hard at the now half empty mug, lacking the warmth it had originally held. His vision blurred and he had to blink hard, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to overflow onto his cheeks. He was not going cry. 

 

He was  _ not  _ going to cry. 

 

“Roman.” Patton said. “You can talk to me.”

 

“It’s not a big deal.” Roman muttered. His grip on the cup tightened. “I was just overreacting.” 

 

“I’m sure that’s not true.” 

 

Roman rolled his eyes with huff. “I had another fight with Logan and I got upset. It’s stupid, really.” He tried to ignore the tremor in his voice. 

 

“Oh, Roman.” Patton said. Roman risks a glance up and sees Patton staring at him with an expression filled with a mix of sadness and understanding. He tore his gaze away and back to the cup in his hands. 

 

“I know it’s not something to get so worked up over. It’s just -” Roman let out a frustrated noise, and forcefully pushed his hands through his hair. “I’ve been trying so hard to be better, you know? To not push and prod and provoke everyone until I get my way, but it just seems like I’m sliding back and I can’t stop myself.” 

 

Patton leaned forward and put his hands over Roman’s. His hands were warm. Roman looked up from the table at Patton, who was smiling gently at him. “Roman.” He said. “It’s okay.” 

 

“No, it’s not.” Roman insisted, dragging a hand across his cheeks to roughly wipe away the tears that had started falling. 

 

“Roman, listen to me.” Patton’s voice took on a more serious tone, and his hands tightened on Roman’s. “This, what you’re feeling? Is perfectly okay. You’re trying to push yourself to be better, and that’s amazing! And you’re not going to be perfect right away. You’re going to fail. And when that happens, you just need to get back up and keep going, one foot in front of the other.”

 

Roman tried to think of something to say, he really did, but the moment he tried to open his mouth and say something he lost all train of thought. Instead he just started crying, clutching Patton’s hand with his own. He closed his eyes and pulled one of his hands free, trying to wipe away the tears, but they were falling too fast. 

 

The weight on Roman’s hand disappeared as Patton pulled his hand away, and for a moment in his panic Roman feared the worst - Patton was leaving. He didn’t open his eyes, not wanting to see if it was true. But then Patton’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, and Roman found himself sinking into Patton’s embrace, bringing up his own arms and twining them around Patton’s waist. 

 

They sit there like that for a few moments, Roman’s face pressed against Patton’s shoulder, Patton rocking them back and forth. He hummed under his breath, and Roman could feel the vibrations echoing in Patton’s chest. And then Roman glanced up at Patton, gracing him with a watery smile. 

 

“Sorry,” He said with a choked laugh, wiping at his eyes. “I’m just a mess tonight.” 

 

Patton returned Roman’s smile. _ “ _ You’re doing great, Ro.” 

 

“Thanks, Pat.” Roman said, resting his head on Patton’s shoulder. And then a thought occurred to him, and he pulled back, alarmed.  “I woke you up, didn’t ? Patton, I’m sorry.” 

 

“It’s okay, Ro.” Patton said reassuringly, brushing Roman’s hair off his forehead and carding his fingers through his hair. “I was up anyway.” 

 

Roman frowned up at Patton. “You need your sleep.” 

 

“And right now you need me.” Patton said. His voice was light, but his gaze was steadily focused on Roman’s face. “I can afford to lose a little sleep.” 

 

Roman’s cheeks flushed, and he ducked his head back into the crook of Patton’s neck. “I love you so much. Have I mentioned that?” 

 

Patton let out a small giggle, and he pressed a kiss to the top of Roman’s head. “All the time. Now, how about we watch something to make you feel better?” 

 

“Disney?” Roman asked, glancing up hopefully. 

 

“Is there anything else?” Patton asked with a grin. He pushed himself gently out of Roman’s arms and headed into the living. Roman rose from his seat and followed Patton, feet padding silently over the carpet.

 

Patton was already crouched down in front of the television, pulling out various Disney movies and setting them up, ready to be put in once the previous movie was finished. A quick scan of the cases showed all of Roman’s favorites, ordered from number one and continuing on. Tears pricked at the edges of Roman’s vision, and he hurriedly wiped them away. 

 

What did he do to deserve Patton? 

 

He sat down on the couch, feet tucked up underneath him, and settled down in between the cushions. Once Patton had finished, he scooped up the television remote and flounced over to the couch, collapsing next to Roman and snuggling into his side. The lights around them dimmed as the all too familiar sounds of Disney washed over the pair. 

 

They sat there for the rest of the night, curled up and tangled together, enjoying each other’s company. They eventually fell asleep, Roman’s head resting on top of Patton’s, Patton clutching Roman’s arm with a small smile on his face. 

 

And that’s how Logan and Virgil found them that next morning, passed out on the couch with the menu screen for  _ Tangled _ playing on a loop, a smile tugging at the corners of Roman’s mouth as he clung to Patton in his sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> so i came up with the idea for this fic while i was sitting in english class. we were talking about moby dick and that one chapter where ahab fights a storm and i was like “you know who else would be extra enough to fight a storm?? roman.” 
> 
> so yeah, i hope u enjoy this fic!! i’m honestly kinda proud of it lol, it waa so fun to write.
> 
> come say hi on tumblr, my blog is @purplepatton :D


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